CHICKPEA AND ARTICHOKE MASALA

Chickpea and Artichoke Masala image

A great meatless/vegetarian main entree. Courtesy of Aarti Sequeira. Food Network. I found the need to use more gram masala. I also used 8 oz. can tomato sauce because I have done this is the past with my grilled chicken tikka masala recipe. I thought it worked well. I also simmered longer than the suggested 10 minutes. Serve over basmati rice or scoop it up with Naan UPDATE: 2/11/11. I made this for the 2nd time. I just can't get enough of it! I added 1/2 serrano chili for a bit of heat, oh my what a fabulous addition to this recipe!

Provided by Chicagoland Chef du

Time 35m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 large red onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste, recipe follows or 1 clove garlic and 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3 large roma tomatoes, chopped, I used 8 oz . can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garam masala, I used more 1 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and halved
1/2 serrano chili, minced (optional)
kosher salt
1/2 cup water
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

Steps:

Process the onion, Garlic-Ginger Paste (recipe below), and tomatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth. I may be slightly textured.
Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the cumin seeds (and optional serrano chili). Once they're done popping, add the onion-tomato paste you just made, and saute until it thickens and deepens in color, about 10 minutes. I sauteed longer until the onions softened.
Add the ground coriander, garam masala, paprika, and turmeric and saute about 30 seconds.
Then add the yogurt, a little at a time so it doesn't curdle. NOTE: I temper the yogurt with some of the hot tomato mixture, add 1 Tablespoon at a time to warm up the yogurt & prevent curdling.
Stir in the lime juice, chickpeas, artichokes, salt, to taste, and water. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. I simmered 30-40 up to 60 minutes. Taste for seasonings and serve garnished with cilantro over basmati rice or with Naan.
GARLIC GINGER PASTE:.
1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole.
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, 1/2-inch slices.
1/4 cup canola oil.
Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.
Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.